Artistic Diva reboots career in Friday optional claimer

CYPRESS, Calif. – More than two years after the start of her career, Artistic Diva has made three starts, far fewer than expected, but enough to suggest she has yet to achieve her potential.

A stakes winner at 2 at Santa Anita in 2017, Artistic Diva was second in her only start at 3, the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in May 2018. Friday at Los Alamitos, Artistic Diva will have her 4-year-old debut in an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at six furlongs, her first start in nearly 16 months.

“We’re really glad to get her in,” trainer John Sadler said. “She’s been off a long time, but her form is very good.”

A series of injuries kept Artistic Diva from working for a year. Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Artistic Diva has shown a steady pattern of workouts in the last few months, including five furlongs in 1:00.20 on Sunday at Santa Anita.

By Munnings, Artistic Diva was purchased for $425,000 at a 2-year-olds in training sale. In her three starts, she has led or disputed the pace, a style Sadler expects jockey Ruben Fuentes will utilize Friday.

“She’s fast,” Sadler said.

Artistic Diva drew the rail in a field of five that includes one other stakes winner. Kim K won the Barretts Debutante here last September and is 1 for 5 since then, including 0 for 3 in stakes. At the Del Mar summer meeting, Kim K raced wide and finished fourth in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile.

Friday’s race will be Kim K’s first start outside of her age group and her first start in a sprint since a fourth in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs in late May. Her last victory came going a mile in an optional claimer at Churchill in June. If a speed duel develops Friday, Kim K could be a beneficiary.

Devils Dance has the speed to challenge Artistic Diva for the lead, but is winless in four stars on dirt. Trained by Craig Lewis, Devils Dance set the pace in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile on turf July 20 at Del Mar, but faded to finish last at 68-1.

Devils Dance’s sprint form on turf is more encouraging. She led throughout and won an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf June 16 at Santa Anita in a 19-1 upset.

Smiling Tigress and Tip Top Gal are the other runners in the field. Tip Top Gal, trained by Marcia Stortz, won an optional claimer in Sacramento in July and was second in an optional claimer Aug. 30 at Golden Gate Fields. She set a slow pace in that race and was caught in the final furlong.

Smiling Tigress has not raced since April when she finished fifth of six in an optional claimer on turf at Santa Anita. Her best chance is to make a late run behind a swift pace.